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Tristadecawhat?

13 November 2009

So I’m sitting here in my office this morning and catching up on all the daily news. I got a logo concept out to a client and thoroughly enjoyed a pot of coffee already (That’s right a pot! Give me a break. I gave up smoking in January.) and then it hit me… “It sure is quiet today!” Not many emails coming through. The phone is all but silent. What is going on?

Usually this would be a fleeting thought, but i checked my calendar and noticed the date; FRIDAY THE 13TH!!!! Could this be the explanation? Do people not want to do business on this “haunted” day? Since I had the time, I went ahead an did some Googling.

According to an article posted on statesman.com, Henry Ford himself was afraid of this day. Apparently so were quite a few Presidents. Well hell! If these “great men of power” were concerned, perhaps lil’ ole’ me should be as well! Why did i get out of bed? What now?

Face it, I’m screwed.

Although I jest, Friday the 13th really does strike fear into the hearts of many. How one little day on a Dilbert® calendar can do so much damage is beyond me, but it is a serious problem for most businesses across the country… and they may not even know it. According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute,an estimated 17 to 21 million people suffer from a fear of this day. That number comes with another estimate — a financial loss of $800 to $900 million in business productivity.

I’m not sure how much I buy into the whole superstition game. But just in case, I locked my black cat in the closet for the day*, put away all X-acto® knives throughout the office and cancelled my plans to drive to Starbucks® and get a Venti Mocha Frapp. I guess I should look on the bright-side; at least this doesn’t have anything to do with the other well known Friday the 13th… or does it? NOTE TO SELF – don’t go anywhere alone today either, especially an abandoned campground.

*please note – no animals were actually locked in a closet for the making of this blog… yet